News : Classes begin soon at CreARTivity Studio; new business opens today

Retro toy: Consul the Educated Monkey is available at Creartivity Studio 96 years after his debut

These locally-made puzzles can also be painted at Creartivity Studio.

These ceramic items are available to buy, and paint, at Creartivity Studio, which opens today.

Vintage toys, including this candle-powered Titanic model, are also available.

The Klutz kits are designed for those who feel they are lacking in artistic skill.

Nikki Dudley says the mosaics are her favorite art projects at Creartivity.

The Creartivity Studio opens on Monday, as Nikki Dudley continues scheduling the first art classes. The studio offers a variety of art projects that customers can buy to finish, either at the studio, or at home.

Ceramics, mosiacs, and a variety of other projects are available now; customers can paint their projects in the studio if they wish, or buy them to take home to finish there.

The Do-It-Yourself studio is open now; classes will begin in a few weeks.

The studio includes an area for a variety of art classes, as well as a display of vintage games for sale. Other area artists will soon be offering classes covering their areas of specialty.

Classes will include mini music, "Frozen Frenzy" collages featuring winter themes, drawing, landscape painting, and classes for youngsters called "Pee Wee Picasos."

Don Eells owns the building, and has worked for the past year to remodel it. The shortage of construction workers caused after the storm of July 11, 2011, contributed to the delay. Local artist and interior designer Lindsey Renken designed the lighting for the studio.

Photographs by Ann Jorgensen are also available for sale.

Vintage toys & Klutz kits

Nearly 100 years ago, Consul the Educated Monkey was one of the favorite educational toys in the U.S. A retro version of the monkey is available at Creartivity, along with other retro toys, including one of the very first mechanical race car games, as well as a model of the Titanic that moves in the water when a lighted candle is placed in the tin boat.

The Klutz do-it-yourself kits for those who feel as though their artistic skills are quite limited are also available. Flying airplanes, animated cartoons and other projects from Klutz are on display at Creartivity.

For more information, call 472-3800, or visit the studio on 4th Street, next to The Lotus Chinese Restaurant. Hours are 10 am to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, 1-5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.